Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that most commonly affects the hand, foot, elbow, knee and ankle joints. In patients with RA, their immune system attacks the joints resulting in painful inflammation and swelling. Left untreated, RA can cause irreversible joint damage; therefore, doctors recommend early diagnosis and treatment.

Women are three times more likely to have RA than men, commonly beginning between the ages of 30 and 60. The majority of people with RA have no family history.

Symptoms

At first, patients with RA may feel tenderness or pain in their joints. Other early symptoms include:

Joint pain, swelling or stiffness for six or more weeks
Morning stiffness for 30 minutes or longer
Pain in more than one joint
Fatigue, loss of appetite, and/or mild fever

When symptoms are intensified, it is called a flare which last for days or months. Ongoing inflammation from RA can affect the body in many ways, including eye, mouth and skins problems. Lungs, blood vessels and red blood cell count may also be affected.

Treatments

Your doctor will recommend treatments to help stop inflammation and put the RA in remission. The sooner you begin treatment the better since it will help prevent further damage from the disease.

Drug treatments, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), may be prescribed to help relieve symptoms. Prescription medications, such as corticosteroids and other types of drugs, may keep the disease under control. Since some of these drugs have the risk of side effects, your doctor will carefully monitor your dosage. Surgery, such as hip and knee replacement, is also an option for some RA patients.

If you have RA, you can be proactive about your own care. A healthy diet, including foods that are rich in antioxidants, is important to help keep RA under control. Getting enough exercise and rest are also an essential for managing RA. Your doctor can recommend lifestyle modifications that will help you take control of your own well-being.

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